Reflection for Sunday 20th April 2025Easter DayIsaiah 65: 17-end, Acts 10:34-43 and Luke 24.1-12The Dawn That Changed EverythingEarly in the morning, while it was still dark, the women came to the tomb. They came not expecting resurrection, but to honour the dead. Their spices were meant for mourning, not celebration. But instead of death, they met an empty tomb and a message that would change the world: “He is not here, but has risen.”This moment in Luke’s Gospel is quietly astonishing. There are no earthquakes, no dazzling appearances—just the simple, disorienting discovery that Jesus is no longer where they left him. And then the question that still echoes today: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”It's a question that cuts through our habits of despair. So often, we live as though the darkness has the final word—as if hope is naïve and the grave is the end. But Easter morning declares something radical: that God has broken the power of death, and nothing will ever be the same.Isaiah glimpsed this reality centuries before, envisioning a new heaven and a new earth, where weeping and distress would be no more. That vision takes flesh in the risen Jesus. In him, God's future has broken into our present. It’s not just a promise for one day, but a power for this day.Peter, preaching in Acts, declares that this risen Christ is now Lord of all—and we are witnesses. That’s our calling too. Like the women at the tomb, we’re sent to tell what we’ve seen, even if others dismiss it at first. Resurrection hope doesn’t always make sense to the world. It didn’t to the apostles either. But it is the truth—and it's alive in us.St. John Chrysostom once preached: “Let no one fear death, for the Saviour’s death has set us free. Christ is risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead.” That’s the heartbeat of Easter: a love stronger than death, a joy that no grave can hold.So on Easter Day, as we greet the risen Christ, let’s be people of the dawn. Let’s carry this good news into our communities, our struggles, our quiet doubts. Let’s live like the new creation has already begun—because in him, it truly has. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia. Blessings and prayers, Emma
A huge thank you to all those who helped mow, strim, brush, trim, dust, polish, vacuum, mop and lots of other jobs in the church and churchyard last Saturday. Thank you to Dave and Mandy for co-ordinating and to Alison for the drinks and cake which kept us going. The sun shone brightly on the workers and many hands made light work. The church and the churchyard both look great. We are still looking for volunteers to go on a cleaning and/or a mowing and strimming rota. Hopefully it will be easier now that the job has been made manageable. Please email Dave on dd@cddickens.plus.com if you are able to help with the churchyard, Gill on ddh.gmjubb@gmail.com if you are able to help with the cleaning.
8th March: Village Walk5th April: Churchyard Spring Tidy9th May: Annual Village Quiz with Fish and Chips13th July: Garden Party21st September: Harvest Lunch14th November: Would I lie to you Wine and Cheese evening5th December: Wreath making workshop14th December Carols on the Green
